


Harry Potter and the Incubus Inheritance: the First Downfall

by LorelaiMcQueen



Series: Harry Potter and the Incubus Inheritance [1]
Category: Charmed (TV 1998), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 11:17:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17980304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LorelaiMcQueen/pseuds/LorelaiMcQueen
Summary: Lily Evans, newly graduated from Hogwarts, is engaged to the Crown Prince to the throne of Wizarding Britain, James Potter. While Lily worries over her duties as the future Princess, the war with Voldemort rages on and affects their lives in ways she couldn't have imagined.





	1. Strength and Courage

A/N: I had to post the beginning chapter's notes here first since it was so long. It won't be the case for the following chapters.

So there are quite a few changes to canon in this story. I will reveal most of them as the story comes along, but here are a few things to take note of just so the beginning makes sense.

\- James parents are Charlus and Dorea. I know it's been revealed that they're actually Fleamont and Euphemia but I wrote this story before this was known. I'm sticking with Charlus and Dorea.

\- This is an important change: LILY IS MADE INTO A PUREBLOOD FOR THIS SERIES. This is due to several reasons which will be made known during the course of this story. Petunia is a squib.

\- Lily, James and the Marauders were born late 1959/early-to-mid 1960. They attended Hogwarts from September 1971 to June 1978 (canon). It wasn't exactly specified when James and Lily were married so I'm putting the engagement in June 1978 right after their graduation.

\- I'm placing Petunia's birth in 1954 and Vernon's birth in 1953. They married in 1977 (the year before this chapter), less than a year after Petunia's university graduation, much to the disappointment of Lily's parents and their extended family (they'd hoped that Petunia would marry a muggleborn or a half-blood so that her children would have a greater chance of inheriting magic, after the disappointment of Petunia being a squib).

\- This is a VERY PARTIAL, almost NON-EXISTENT crossover with Charmed. The ONLY Charmed-related elements here are Harry's powers and the light-show that will occur during his birth. I will post a video link on my profile page to show the birth of Wyatt Halliwell (the character on Charmed whose powers I used for Harry in this series), and another video link to show all of Wyatt's powers, which are also some of Harry's powers in this series. Please watch them as they would give you a visual of what the birth and the powers look like. They're quite short and won't take too much of your time. Harry's powers (taken from Charmed and my imagination) are used almost by will alone and though he'll have to learn when he's older, these are things that come naturally and powerfully to him. There are very few people with that sort of magic in my 'Incubus Inheritance' universe. The people who were born with this magic are said to be born with Old Magic running through their veins and are the only ones who can channel Old Magic (this term was NOT taken from Charmed). There are only 4 other people still alive asides from Harry who were born with Old Magic – Nicholas Flamel, Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald and Tom Riddle Jr.

\- This is also a VERY PARTIAL crossover with BBC Merlin. As you'll read on within the story itself, there are several aspects of the Arthurian legends that will be incorporated into it. These aspects are mildly derived from the BBC Merlin interpretation of the Arthurian legends. I will tweak THEIR version to suit HPII. Also, "Old Magic" mentioned in HPII is similar to what Merlin can do in the series, as opposed to the magic that can be learned by other sorcerers in the show (do watch it if you haven't, it's brilliant).

\- VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ OR YOU WILL BE VERY CONFUSED:

NOBILITY AND WEALTH: The Potters' wealth and nobility is always exaggerated in fan fiction and I intend to do it here though I have put what I hope is a semi-fresh spin on it.

The Potters live on a large plot of land, an island archipelago, in South-West England called Æsctir (it is pronounced ASH-TIR). Muggles don't even know it exists due to its wards and unplottable location, making it seem as though there's nothing but ocean where Æsctir is, repelling muggles from ever coming close to the outer wards. They own Æsctir in all its entirety.

Two sides of Æsctir are surrounded by water while the other two are surrounded by land. There are several towns and villages in Æsctir and the capital is the City of Godric, a fortified city where Camelot (the palatial residence of the King and his family) is located. Though Æsctir is an island archipelago, it is connected to England through a thin strip of land; it was used as a trading route and has since been turned into railroads for a direct train from England to Æsctir.

The island archipelago is made up of 7 main islands – Jamestown, King Arthur's Port, Emerald Bay, Peverell Abbey, Bodega Valley, King Fisher's Lagoon and Drakesworth. The City of Godric (the capital of Æsctir) and Camelot are located on the island of Peverell Abbey.

Æsctir is the wizarding name for England. It is a part of Albion, which consists of Æsctir, Wales, Scotland and Ireland (in its entirety). King Charlus is the reigning monarch for the whole of Albion.

The Potters are royalty - the only wizarding royal family left in the UK - and they rule over Albion as Kings and Queens. Albion is an absolute monarchy - THERE IS NO BRITISH MINISTRY OF MAGIC. Instead, we have the Council (which replaces the Ministry) and we'll have players like Fudge, Umbridge, etc., making us fume as part of the Council. The Potters are also of the highest order of nobility - the King and Queen (Charlus and Dorea) have no noble titles since they're reigning monarchs. James, the Crown Prince, holds the rank of Grand Duke (which in reality is non-applicable in the UK, but I'm taking creative license FOR THE WIZARDING WORLD OF ALBION ONLY). He's the only one in the UK with that title.

Just to be clear, the City of Godric (the capital of the island archipelago Æsctir) is also the capital of Albion. It's most commonly referred to as simply "the Capital".

\- To sum up the Potters and Evans' backstories: the Potters ARE British wizarding royalty and nobility of the highest order, the wealthiest wizarding family in the world, and are one of the most politically and magically powerful families. They rule over Albion in an absolute monarchy. They own an island archipelago in South-West England called Æsctir, where the castle called Camelot is located. Godric Gryffindor married King Arthur's only child, a daughter he had with his wife Queen Guinevere, a thousand years ago. When King Arthur and Queen Guinevere died, their daughter became the reigning monarch. When the time came, her son with Godric was named King.

\- The Council replaces the British MOM - they have no authority over the King and are simply his advisers. The Evans descended from Irish and Welsh nobility. They're not as wealthy as the Potters, but they are one of the wealthiest pureblood families. The eldest Evans male is a Marquess. The Potters and Evans have seats on the Wizengamot and are politically influential and active in Albion.

\- It has been brought to my attention that royals do not use surnames. I actually did know this before but I'm drawing inspiration from BBC Merlin where, if King Uther and Prince Arthur weren't being called King Uther and Prince Arthur, they were called by their full names. Arthur Pendragon. Uther Pendragon. I realise that's not how it works with royals, but I'm leaving this bit in because I don't think this series would go on without anyone calling Harry 'Harry Potter'.

\- TO RECAP: The Gryffindor family, married into the Pendragon family and now called the Potter family, has always held onto the throne of Albion. There is a law that forbids anyone without Gryffindor blood to claim the throne. The capital of Albion, which the island of Æsctir is a part of, is called the City of Godric and is commonly called "the Capital". The royal palace is situated in the City of Godric, and is called Camelot - it is the same legendary palace where King Arthur once lived in. Charlus Potter, Harry's paternal grandfather, is King. James is Crown Prince. Harry is Prince (or will be once he's born).

Lily and James will be married in late June 1978. Here, we see the proposal.

Æsctir is an Old English word meaning 'glory in war'. It is pronounced ASH-TIR.

The title of this chapter comes from this quote by Lao Tzu: 'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage'.

Timeline: June 1978.

Location: Camelot, Peverell Abbey, Æsctir, South-West England, Kingdom of Albion.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Charmed. Those rights belong to JK Rowling and Constance M. Burge. I am merely playing with JK's characters and Burge's ideas for supernatural powers. I mean no copyright infringement.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Lily Evans closed her eyes, her lips turning upwards as a sweet scented breeze blew through her, ruffling her hair and making her heart swell with nostalgia. This part of the gardens at Camelot was heavy with lavender and it reminded her of home – her mother's favourite flower was lavender and it had grown in abundance in the gardens of Aoife Evans' childhood home in Ireland. When they had gotten married, her father Arwyn had had an entire lavender garden grown at Gwynhyrfar Castle.

It would be a year to the day in just a few weeks since the attack at Gwynhyrfar, her father's Welsh estate, and a year to the day since her family had been rushed to Camelot for protection. Thanks to the strong wards and protections that Merlin and Godric Gryffindor had put in place over a thousand years ago, Camelot was even better protected than Hogwarts. The Evans family, including her father's second and third wives and Lily's half-sister, had all been given full refuge under King Charlus' protection despite the fact that they were undergoing their own grief.

Just days before the attack at Gwynhyrfar, Dorea Potter – James' mother and the Queen – had been brutally murdered by Lord Voldemort himself. She had been travelling back to Æsctir with her husband after a peace conference in Russia and they had been attacked en route. While they had secured Russia's loyalty against Lord Voldemort (they would stay neutral and wouldn't allow any of Voldemort's followers to seek refuge in their territories, let alone allow them to strengthen their armies there, but they wouldn't be actively joining in the war either), James had lost his mother. Charlus had survived but the Queen had passed away in battle after a grievous wound had been inflicted on her.

Lily had never been more grateful that her entire family had gotten away safely, step-mothers, half-sisters, irritated squib sisters and magic-hating muggle brothers-in-law included; Petunia had kicked up a fuss when their father had pulled her out of her perfectly normal muggle life and taken her to Camelot with the rest of them. She had only agreed when Arwyn had agreed to take her new husband Vernon Dursley with them as well. It hadn't made either of them pleasant to be around – especially since they'd shrieked and complained at every little show of magic.

Truth be told, it had been quite embarrassing.

However, in the face of the horrifying attack at Gwynhyrfar and the gloomy mood at Æsctir following the death of their Queen, no one had spared a second thought to the squib daughter of the Evans family and their peculiar son-in-law with his strange disapproval of all things magical.

Lily had seen a different side to James Potter that summer. He wasn't the obnoxious prankster or the arrogant Prince. He was a grieving young man, heartbroken over the loss of his mother and struggling to come to terms with his building responsibilities as the war raged on and his seventeenth birthday (and with it, his coronation as Crown Prince) drew nearer and nearer.

Though his friends – the famed Marauders – had been at Camelot the entire summer, they hadn't been the immature brats she'd been unfortunate enough to know for six years. They had been supportive of James and helpful in ways she had never seen them to be. Remus had already been her friend before. Quiet and unassuming whenever he wasn't in the presence of his prankster friends, she had enjoyed his companionship when they studied together in the library and when they'd performed their duties as Gryffindor prefects.

She hadn't counted on enjoying the companionship of James and the other Marauders, however, and it had taken her aback when they'd shared their first laugh together.

She was even more taken aback when, just weeks after her arrival at Camelot, her father had come to her and told her of James' official request to court her. He hadn't once made a lewd remark or flirt with her the entire time since she'd arrived, and it had been disconcerting for her to experience. He had been so withdrawn, so heartbroken, nothing at all like the lively boy she'd known almost her whole life.

She was doubly shocked when the thought of being courted by him hadn't repulsed her this time. She had even felt flutters in her stomach. The shock of her sudden realisation that she had affections for James had made her agree to the request, much to her parents' jubilation.

A year of courtship later and here they were, recent graduates of Hogwarts.

James, of course, was busy taking upon his responsibilities as the Crown Prince of Albion. With Albion taking an active role in the dark war against Voldemort, his responsibilities were mounting day after day.

Lily was a little bit lost these days, wondering what her role would be now that school was over. She was the daughter of a nobleman, a marquess no less. Jobs had never been in her future. But she had far too much intelligence, far too much to offer, to simply be a courtesan, a wife of a nobleman. Even being the wife of a future King wouldn't satisfy her.

James had an entire country to look after, a war to fight. She had nothing to look forward to.

A sudden heaviness that had been so familiar to her these past few weeks settled uncomfortably in her heart.

A pair of soft, warm lips pressed against her cheek from behind and Lily jolted, startled. She smiled when she caught a whiff of a very familiar scent.

'James,' she murmured. Her eyes fluttered open and she turned around to face him as their arms wrapped around each other in a loving embrace.

'What are you doing all the way up here?' James asked, his voice light with humour as he looked around the stone turret she had chosen as her hideaway.

Lily shrugged, a bashful smile on her lips. 'I was just enjoying the view of the gardens below,' she told him coyly.

'Well, I can do you one better,' he boasted, his hazel eyes sparkling warmly. 'Will you agree to accompany me to the garden? It's a beautiful day – we should enjoy it while we can.'

Lily smiled brightly. 'I agree,' she nodded. 'And, yes, I will accompany you. Thank you for asking me.'

He stepped back from her embrace and held out his arm for her to take, leading them down the steps of the tower so they could make their way through the gardens.

Lily sighed contentedly at the serene setting they were in – they were walking down a cobbled path between artfully formed beds of lavender flowers and a peaceful, crinkling lake. With every moment that she spent in James' presence, the heaviness in her heart grew lighter.

'I'm surprised you have time for me,' Lily teased, turning her head up to look at James. 'You've been so incredibly busy lately.'

James nodded, a serious look entering his eyes. 'I apologise for that,' he said sincerely. 'Father and I have been working tirelessly with Dumbledore…The attacks are only getting more and more frequent.'

Lily searched his face and frowned at the severity of his expression. 'I know how badly things have gotten,' she said tentatively, even though she didn't. Not really. 'And…I'm aware of the…precautions Dumbledore has been taking to fight Voldemort and his Death Eaters.'

James stopped walking altogether and turned his body to face her. 'What do you know about such things?' he asked suspiciously. His father would flog him in public if he thought he'd betrayed Order secrets to impress his lady.

Lily tried to give him her best innocent expression. At the roll of his eyes, she knew she hadn't succeeded. 'There are certain benefits to being the daughter of such a high-ranking nobleman,' she admitted.

'Your father told you?' he sounded displeased.

Lily shook her head. 'No, no, of course not,' she was quick to disagree. The last thing she needed was to get her father in trouble. 'I've simply...found ways to discover information being exchanged within the walls of Gwynhyrfar.'

James suddenly looked amused. 'You mean you eavesdropped,' he corrected her, his voice teasing. His feet moving again as he led her farther down the path. She was happy to note that he didn't sound angry.

'Perhaps,' she teased coyly.

'And what do you plan to do with this particular piece of information?' James pressed.

'I plan to use it,' Lily said determinedly. James gave her a curious, wary look. 'Don't look at me like that, James. It isn't anything malicious, for Merlin's sake. It's just that…I feel so very useless, just sitting around all day when the war is waging on.'

'You haven't been useless,' James assured her. 'Ulfric tells me you've been quite helpful in assisting him with the wounded.'

Lily blushed slightly. Ulfric was the court physician at Camelot. He was positively ancient – he had been the royal physician since King Charlus was a baby – but his knowledge was vast and impressive. Lily, who had always been good at Charms and Potions, and had had more than a passing interest in Healing, had learned a lot from him just by assisting him in healing the sick citizens of Æsctir and the wounded soldiers and knights who'd fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

'And it's been great working with him,' she said honestly. 'I'm glad that Ulfric believes me to be helpful, but I feel as though I should be doing something more.'

There was no hiding his trepidation as he asked, his words slow and concise, 'What exactly do you mean by that?'

'I think I should be allowed to join the Order.'

James almost choked on his next breath of air. 'Lily!' he hissed, looking around as though to find unsavoury characters snooping in on their conversation.

Lily rolled her eyes. The palace was the most fortified place in the world, by means of magical wards, powerful guards and walls carved with runic enchantments. The palace was even safer than Hogwarts. There was no way any eavesdropper could be listening in to them.

Once he was certain that there was no one around, James turned to look at her sternly. 'Lily, you're not supposed to know about the Order,' he chided.

Lily ignored that. 'Don't patronise me, James,' she scolded. 'I have as much right as anyone else to fight for our freedom and defend our people.'

'You should leave the fighting to the rest of us,' he urged her.

She glared at him. 'Why, because I'm a woman?' she snapped angrily, insulted. 'I'm better with my wand than most of your esteemed guards!'

'I know that,' he hastened to assure her.

'So you agree that I'm skilled?'

'Of course I do – I've seen you, remember?' he said soothingly. 'I remember the way you duel in class, and I've seen you take on Bellatrix Lestrange at the Hogsmeade attack. I know you can do this.'

'Then why do you oppose my entry into the Order so much?' she demanded.

He sighed loudly. 'Because!' he snapped. At the hurt look in her eyes, his gaze softened and his expression lost its fierceness. 'I'm sorry. It's just…It's too dangerous.'

'Alice Longbottom has already joined,' she pointed out to him. She had overheard her parents talking about the newly wedded Alice joining her husband Frank in the Order just days ago.

'Alice isn't you,' he protested. 'I don't care for her as I do for you.'

Lily shook her head, turning her head away. 'I can't take another day of this, James,' she said quietly. 'Knowing that there are good men and women out there, fighting every day, while I just sit by and do nothing? It's killing me.'

'Lily…'

'It is my right to fight,' she said determinedly. 'Please. Don't attempt to stop me, James.'

James sighed heavily. 'I suppose I can't stop you, can I?' he smiled self-deprecatingly.

She beamed at him. 'No, you really can't,' she patted his arm consolingly.

He barked out a laugh. 'Well, I hope you won't think I don't believe in your skills when I get a little protective sometimes,' he warned her. 'It's simply in my nature to be protective of the people that I love.'

Lily's heart thudded in her chest. They had said those three powerful words – "I love you" – just a few months ago. Of course, James had been proclaiming his love for her since first year and dropping to his knees to loudly ask her hand in marriage in front of a large audience since third year. However, those had been the actions and words of a child – a juvenile prankster who didn't truly understand what real love was.

The James that she'd fallen in love with hadn't lost his humour even if it had been hard to hold onto after the brutal murder of his mother, something he had witnessed no less. But her James was more mature and more aware of what true love was. She had fallen so deeply for him and had been elated at hearing his proclamation of love because she knew that, this time, he meant it wholly.

Even months later, the thrill hadn't faded.

'I love you, James,' she whispered, her eyes locked on his.

As though he knew exactly why she was getting so emotional – and he probably did, the sly bastard – James stopped walking and drew her close. 'I love you, as well, Tiger Lily,' he murmured against her lips.

Lily laughed into his mouth. 'Oh, that ridiculous nickname,' she groaned laughingly.

'You love it,' he teased back, a large smile overtaking his handsome face.

'I'll admit to no such thing.'

James laughed and twirled her around in his arms in an impromptu slow dance. A warm twinkle in his bright hazel eyes and an almost mischievous smile on his lips made her chuckle. 'What is it?' she wondered, curious to know.

'I have a surprise for you,' he told her in a soft, excited voice.

Lily gazed at him warily. His surprises were usually in the form of a prank. However, the loving gaze in his eyes told her this time might be a bit different. 'What is this surprise, then?' she asked.

'Close your eyes,' he instructed.

'James…'

He took her by the shoulders gently and gave her a warm, open look. 'Trust me, Lily,' he urged. 'Close your eyes.'

She sighed, pretending this to be a great sacrifice, and with a smile fighting to break on her lips, she did as he asked.

James, his entire body buzzing in excitement, slowly led her forward whilst ensuring that her eyes were closed the entire way. He led her straight towards a garden gazebo at the end of the lake.

'Step up,' he murmured and Lily stopped, raising her foot up and feeling around for the step, feeling a little giggly.

James led her to a stop right in the centre of the gazebo. 'Wait…Right there,' he said, slowly withdrawing from her.

Making sure her eyes were still closed, he looked around the gazebo. Whipping out his wand, he lit the fires and tapped one of the stone partitions of the gazebo, slowly propelling the stone feature away from the edge of the garden and further down the lake.

When the gazebo was firmly in the centre of the lake, James smiled and stopped it from moving any further. Taking one last look around, he took in a deep breath and stepped closer to Lily. He tucked his wand back into his pocket and took her hands in his.

'Open your eyes, Lily,' he said softly, his gaze fixed on her lovely face.

With a curious smile quirked on her lips, Lily's eyelids fluttered open. Her catlike almond-shaped emerald eyes widened when she caught sight of the hundreds of lit candles surrounding them, placed on every flat surface in the gazebo and floating peacefully in the lake. It was twilight now, the sky bleeding red as the sun lowered itself to the earth, and it turned the lake a beautiful orange and red colour, almost as though the water itself was on fire.

'James,' Lily breathed, taking in the beautiful scene.

James' heart thudded painfully in his chest. The awed tone in Lily's voice did nothing to assuage his nerves or his fear. Taking in another deep breath, James dropped to one knee, hands gently squeezing Lily's.

Lily's eyes peeled away from the candles, the lake and the setting sun, and her gaze dropped on him. At the sight of him on bended knee, her lips parted and formed a shocked little half-smile as though she couldn't quite believe what she now knew he was planning to do.

'Lily,' James started. 'This past year has been the most trying of my life. I have experienced the most unimaginable grief, had to face the most difficult tribulations and overcome the hardest hurdles. I have been so frightened of failing my father, my people…And, most importantly, the memory of my mother. I wanted so badly to prove myself but every move I made was filled with fear instead of bravery. I have been wary of every decision made, every step I take, but you…You have been so sure, so calm. You have given me strength to face my grief, courage to overcome my fears and faith in myself to be the man I never thought I could be. I know that I still have a long way to go. I still have many lessons to learn – and I will learn them all, if not for my people, then certainly for you. Right now, I am simply just the Prince. But one day, I will be King. I know that my reign will flourish if you are beside me. Lily Evans, will you do me the honour of being my Queen?'

Lily took in a shuddering breath as James took out an object from his trouser pocket – a round rose gold band with a large blood red diamond in the middle, surrounded by clusters of sparkling white diamonds forming the regal shape of a crown.

Lily's eyes were transfixed, staring at the image of her beloved James with that beautiful ring in his hand. She wanted to tell him her answer – scream it out, really – but it was as though her voice had vanished. A hot splash of moisture on her cheek startled her into realising that she had been crying.

Eventually, James grew anxious that her answer would be no and prompted cautiously, 'Lily?'

A burst of laughter, wet and hysterical, escaped her lips and her mouth pulled into a large, uncontrollable smile. 'Yes! James, yes, of course I will be your Queen,' she answered breathlessly, pulling a relieved, exultant smile from James.

He stood up from the ground, took her in his arms and kissed her soundly, swallowing a sob from her lips. Pulling back, they smiled into each other's eyes, foreheads leaning together. James took her left hand in his and slid the ring onto her finger.

'With all my heart, yes,' Lily whispered, her right hand coming up to cup his cheek.


	2. Wedded Bliss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James and Lily endure a hectic week to get to the aisle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Harry Potter, Charmed or Merlin. Those rights belong to JK Rowling, Constance M. Burge and the Four Js (Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, the creators of BBC Merlin). I am merely playing with JK's characters and Burge's and the Four Js' ideas for supernatural powers/Arthurian legends. I mean no copyright infringement.

'This is indeed a cause for celebration!'

Goblets of wine were raised in agreement to King Charlus' pronouncement. The great hall of Camelot was decked in red and gold – a tribute to Gryffindor House – and today, the opulence of the castle was even more glaring.

At the long table directly in the middle of the great room, King Charlus sat at the head on his throne. James sat on his right, the Crown Prince of Albion, and Lily sat next to him, the soon-to-be Princess. Lily's family sat on King Charlus' left, Lily's parents and half-sister Emmeline beaming excitedly at the newly engaged couple. The rest of the long table was filled with the loyal knights of Æsctir and the noble families of the kingdom. Sirius, Remus and Peter were also in attendance, sitting next to Lily.

'We will announce the impending union today itself and we will have the grandest celebration,' Charlus declared. With a proud grin and a clap to James' shoulder, Charlus said in a voice filled with joy, 'My son…Finally ready to make his mark as a man worthy of his title.'

James ducked his head, humbled by his father's words. He knew that he had served the family well by joining in the fight against Voldemort. He had led armies and gone on secret missions and done his best to defend his nation against attacks by Death Eaters, but he wished more than anything to do his father proud.

Charlus had allowed Queen Dorea's indulgence of James his whole life but when Dorea had died, it seemed as though his good humour had died along with her. Now he was almost cold in his demands for James to be better than he always was. It seemed that Charlus finally believed that James had grown up.

'Your Majesty, House Evans cannot be more thrilled that our families will be united in such holy matrimony,' Lily's father Arwyn, the Marquess of Killian, said. Aoife, Lily's mother and the Marchioness, agreed, taking his hand in support.

Lily beamed happily at both her parents. A look to their left made her smile falter.

Petunia Dursley nee Evans, a previous Lady in the House of Evans, was glaring openly at Lily. Her eyes, blue and angry, were almost empty in their coldness. Her mouth was set in a hard line. It was almost easy to forget, with her parents' blinding love and the wonderful sisterly affections given by her half-sister Emmeline, that her relationship with her sister Petunia had deteriorated so badly that it seemed as though there was no love there to begin with.

Lily knew that it hadn't been easy for Petunia to grow up in a noble, pureblood House as a squib. She had to watch enviously as her sister and half-sister got to experience their first bouts of accidental magic. She had to send them off on the Hogwarts Express with a broken heart each year. It hadn't been a surprise, then, when Petunia turned her sadness, loneliness and envy into hatred and fear simply to help her cope with her parents' disappointment and constant favouring of Lily and Emmeline.

Still, the change was a sharp knife to the gut every single time Lily bore the brunt of Petunia's anger.

'No doubt, both our houses will benefit from such a holy union,' Charlus agreed, toasting his goblet of wine in Arwyn and Aoife's direction.

'Who would have thought, Prongs,' Sirius grinned roguishly at James and Lily. 'You – becoming a married man…Just a few days left for you as a bachelor.'

James rolled his eyes playfully. 'I can't wait for those days to come to an end,' he assured Lily, genuine in his words.

'What do you say, Lady Lily,' Sirius waggled his eyebrow at her and threw her a charming grin. 'Dump that royal tosser and run away with me.'

'As tempting as your offer is, Sirius,' Lily said dryly. 'I think I shall follow through with my engagement to James.'

Sirius placed a hand over his heart. 'You've left me broken-hearted, my lady,' he joked.

'Sirius!' came the harsh whisper from Arcturus, Sirius' grandfather, Head of House Black. Sirius rolled his eyes surreptitiously but was forced to obey – however minutely – when Arcturus reprimanded, 'Behave yourself accordingly!'

Remus shook his head at Sirius' disregard of proper etiquette. As it was, the King and Lily's parents ignored Sirius' blatant disrespect, but then again they'd always adored him. Sometimes, he marvelled at how much Sirius got away with, just by being charming. Sirius' grandfather, however, would no doubt ream him out later. He resigned himself to hearing Sirius rant about the injustice of it all afterwards.

'We are all so happy for both of you,' Remus told the happy couple.

Sirius tried to keep in temper in check when he saw his grandfather grimace in distaste and turn away when Remus spoke up. He knew this would just be one more thing they'd argue about later but this wasn't the time or place to stir up a scene. It was time to celebrate James and Lily – and after the tumultuous journey it had taken for them to get here, it was well worth suppressing his spontaneous nature.

'Indeed,' Albus Dumbledore said, from his place at the closest seat next to King Charlus on his left. 'It is incredibly heartening to see that such great happiness could be achieved in times of terrible darkness.'

'You will come to the handfasting, won't you, Headmaster?' Lily asked.

She was very fond of the Headmaster, having been taken under his tutelage her last two years at Hogwarts. Such a thing was unheard of in the last few decades since Dumbledore had given up his post as Transfiguration professor and taken his title as Headmaster. He was far too busy running the school and overlooking his many other duties within the ICW and the Wizengamot. However, Lily had shown such great skill and talent, such impressive potential, that Dumbledore had made an exception.

'I know that you are very busy, what with the on-going war…' Lily continued.

Aoife cleared her throat delicately. 'Lily, darling,' she said in a hushed voice, giving Lily a stern look. 'This is neither the time nor the place.'

Lily resisted the urge to glare at her mother. It would be highly unbecoming of a lady and her sister was an embarrassment enough. However, it irked her to think that her parents wanted her to know so little of the war, as though it was happening to everyone else but her. She understood their need to protect her – no matter the fact that she was now of age, she was still their child. She knew that when she had children of her own, she would do everything in her power to protect them as well. Ignorance wasn't the way to protect anyone, however, and she was very much bothered by her parents' insistence that she do nothing to aid in the war efforts.

'No, no,' King Charlus waved Aoife's chastisement off. 'It's a good thing that Lady Lily's invested in the war. As the future bride of the Crown Prince, she will need to be aware – and cautious. James, after all, is taking a very serious role in the war.'

Arwyn frowned, even as Lily perked up in her seat. 'Yes, but surely she isn't meant to _fight_ in it,' he interjected, worried.

'Of course not,' Charlus replied immediately.

Lily deflated, taking comfort when James hand wrapped around her fingers and squeezed.

'She will simply need to be aware of the struggles beyond the protected walls of Camelot,' Charlus continued. 'It wouldn't do for the future Queen of Albion to be naïve of our people's struggles. They will, after all, be _her_ people too.'

'Do not worry, Your Majesty,' Lily assured him. 'I wish to take an active part in the war against Voldemort.'

Even within the walls of Camelot, the only place with a tighter security than Hogwarts and knights trained to be as fearless as they could possibly be, the name the Dark Lord had given himself still caused a hushed, horrible shiver to go through the table.

' _Active!?_ ' Arwyn Evans sounded alarmed. 'What do you mean by active?'

James fidgeted, throwing her a wary look.

Lily hazarded a look at Dumbledore. He was already looking at her, his blue eyes twinkling madly as though he knew exactly what she meant. She wouldn't put it past him to know. A small smile curved on his lips.

She knew this wasn't the time to get into her desire to join the Order. Even though she was certain that most, if not all, of the people at the long table knew about the Order, she didn't think it was something people talked about openly. It was a secret Order, after all.

'Mother's right,' Lily said suddenly, startling her father. 'This isn't the time or place.'

After a few awkward glances between them, conversation shifted back to lighter, more pleasant things – more specifically, James and Lily's impending nuptials.

'A toast – to the happy couple!'

**************************************************

The grounds of Camelot had been turned into the wedding fanfare in the week before the actual ceremony. Tents were erected all over, side by side, each of them with performers acting out their tricks or vendors selling party favours specifically made in honour of the upcoming nuptials.

While Lily spent the week before the handfasting preparing for the day itself, going for dress fittings, attending bridal showers, making appearances at the wedding fair to greet the people she would one day rule over as the Queen of Albion by James' side, and making decisions regarding the ceremony and reception afterwards, James had even more important matters to tend to.

In between battle strategies with the Order and the Knights of Æsctir, James attended meetings with King Charlus and the Marquess of Killian, discussing the terms and proper conditions of the marriage contract which would be signed by all three men by the end of the negotiations.

It had caused an uproar when, in the midst of discussing Lily's dowry and the naming of the second son as heir to the Evans estate, James stated quite plainly that he wished to forsake all marriage contracts tied to the Potter name, active and inactive. Lily was to be his only wife.

While it wasn't uncommon for a wizard to have only one wife, it was usually those who didn't have much wealth who chose to stop at one wife. Since the Potters were the wealthiest wizarding family in the kingdom of Albion, this wasn't a problem. Most of the Potter patriarchs who had only bedded one wife had usually died young in battle and hadn't had the chance to marry again - the Potters were also a warrior family dating back to King Arthur's reign. The rest had all married more than once.

King Charlus himself had chosen only Queen Dorea as his wife because none of the other marriage contracts tied to the Potter family had been suitable for him during his youth. When he and Dorea had married, it had taken them a long time to conceive, a problem which had stemmed from him not her, which had only reaffirmed his decision to marry only one wife.

Now with the war with Voldemort heating up, many pureblood families were terrified their lines would die out. Now more than ever, James needed to remember his duties as not only a warrior but the scion of House Potter.

'James, be reasonable!' Charlus glared at him from across the ornate desk in the middle of the King's study they'd commandeered for the negotiations.

James lifted his chin slightly in silent defiance. 'I _am_ being perfectly reasonable,' he argued. 'House Evans is a good ally for us.'

And it was true.

While the Potters could claim royal blood from the time of King Arthur and the great sorcerer Merlin, the Evans family could trace their bloodline directly to the ancient wizard kings of Ireland (from Lily's mother Aoife's side of the family; Aoife O'Neill had been directly related to several great O'Neill kings before the Irish wizarding nation became a part of the kingdom of Albion in the 19th century) and powerful, loyal Welsh Evan knights who had fought valiantly for the freedom of rights and the equality of all beings. The Evans family was a powerful ally for the Potter family, with wealth almost as vast and protection almost as strong.

'The union between Lady Lily and I will be of great asset for both our families,' James respectfully nodded in Lord Evans' direction. 'And Lily is the only wife that I would want. I wish to forsake my duties towards the marriage contracts.'

Charlus looked ready to breathe fire through his nose. He upheld every tradition, every old-fashioned custom, every honour code and every pureblood belief with fierce loyalty, with the exception of pureblood bigotry that had escaped the Potter family since the very beginning. If it hadn't been for the unsuitability towards the marriage contracts during his youth (the families the Potters were contracted to either had only sons, or daughters who were too age inappropriate or already married off to another family) and his difficulty in conceiving, Charlus would've taken more than one wife himself. It was too late for him now but James…He was blatantly disregarding the needs of their people.

'For Merlin's sake, James,' he snapped. 'Now is not the time to be _romantic_. The war with Voldemort is threatening the furthering of plenty of pureblood lines.'

'I'm sure it is,' James agreed. Every single day, he heard news of the young men and women he'd grown up with who had perished in battle. The war was an ugly one, and it shocked him a little that a monster who claimed to wish only for purebloods to have access to their world would kill them off one by one. 'But it isn't my duty to repopulate pureblood Albion. There are other scions from other reputable pureblood families with similar marriage contracts, I'm sure.'

Charlus couldn't disagree with that.

'Since, at this point in time, Albion isn't under extreme peril of dying out, I have the option of foregoing the marriage contracts,' James added, pointing out the clause that was always added into all marriage contracts.

Arwyn, unable to keep silent, pointed out, 'I'm sure you realise that if you do forego the marriage contracts, your future heir might have to take the responsibility himself in the future.'

This gave James pause.

He had only thought of himself – and of Lily. While she was the pureblood daughter of a wealthy nobleman with active incubus genes and was therefore no foreigner to the concept of multiple wives for the head of the family, he knew she wouldn't be happy if she had to share him with even one other woman.

And while his immature adolescent past self might have grinned rakishly at the thought of a harem of women at his beck and call, he had grown since then and knew that it wasn't all fun and games. With every addition to the family, responsibilities grew and so did burdens.

'However,' Arwyn added, seeing the doubt and hesitation on James' features. 'There is always the possibility that your heir will inherit the incubus genes passed down to almost every male Evans. He would not mind having to take on more than one wife.'

'He might,' Charlus interjected. 'And he might not. But what he will _feel_ is irrelevant. As the future heir of Albion, your son will have enough responsibilities placed upon his shoulders. He will obey the law of the land, and take on his responsibilities with pride. You will have to do your part. And who's to say that you and Lily will even bear a son? You might only have daughters. Who will carry on the line then? We cannot have a reigning Queen. The muggles might think it's perfectly acceptable but we are not like them. It's never been done.'

'That's not true,' James countered. 'When King Arthur died, Guinevere became Queen. And their daughter Gwyneth became Queen after her.'

Charlus glared at him. 'And after Queen Gwyneth, the kingdom of Albion has had _only_ Kings on the throne,' he reminded James harshly. 'A thousand years of Kings.'

'Who's to say James and Lily won't produce a son?' Arwyn pointed out.

'Who's to say they will?' Charlus challenged.

James shook his head resolutely. 'I'm sorry, father,' he said grimly. 'But I will marry Lily – and _only_ Lily. And our son will be a great King someday.'

Charlus had continued to try and persuade James further and father and son had come to heads more than a few times, voices raised in anger and tempers flaring dramatically. Finally, two days before the wedding was set to happen, the negotiations came to a close.

James was pleased enough that his father had finally relented on allowing him to sign a waiver, excusing him from following through on any marriage contracts the family had. He hadn't spoken to Lily yet about his decision to marry only once – he hadn't wanted to get her hopes up if it cannot be done – but he was thrilled that he could now give her the news.

Charlus and Arwyn were also pleased with what they'd both come up for the contract – their families were now more than just allies, they were bonded. After centuries of close friendship, the Potters and Evans were finally going to be family. With each other's support – in friendship, money and army – they had a higher chance of surviving the war. At the very least, their bloodlines did.

To celebrate the signing of the final contract, a jousting tournament was held in Lily's name. Lily sat with her family and James' in the stands overlooking the race tracks. James would be participating in the event, just like his knights. So would Sirius, as a nobleman and heir to an ancient family - his mother might have disowned him in name, but his grandfather Arcturus Black was the Head of House Black and had refused to disown him properly. Sirius wasn't welcomed at his parents' home but he was still heir to the Black title and fortune.

King Charlus sat at the very top, on an intricate throne meant just for him. To his right, his younger brother Prince William sat with his wife Vivian, the Duchess. To his left, Lily's father, mother and half-sister sat together. Lily sat with Prince William and Vivian on Charlus' immediate right. There was just one empty seat between them meant for James when he returned from the tournament.

Lily joined the others in clapping when Sir Eowyn, one of the knights of Æsctir, managed to unseat his opponent.

'Are you enjoying your wedding festivities?' Vivian asked, turning to smile beatifically at Lily.

Lily nodded. 'Oh, yes, they've been very…Eventful,' she replied diplomatically. She was usually truthful to whomever she spoke to, but to be that way with Vivian was too daunting to her. She wasn't easily intimidated but Vivian was a very poised, graceful woman. She made other women, regardless of how competent they were in their own right, feel inferior without even trying.

Vivian laughed, her black hair ruffling in the breeze. 'It's quite overwhelming, I know,' she said sympathetically. 'I knew I would marry a nobleman when I was a child. I didn't know I would marry a prince. And even with all of the practice I've had being an earl's daughter…Well, nothing could have prepared me for this.'

She shot Lily a knowing look, 'I suspect it's the same for you.'

Lily blushed slightly. 'It feels almost ungrateful to even speak of it,' she confided. 'I'm luckier than most people. I love James. Most people born into families like ours don't get that sort of luxury. And with James, our child will have a wonderful life. He will be safe and loved and cherished. I can't ask for anything more.'

'Darling girl,' Vivian took Lily's gloved hand in hers. 'There's nothing wrong with a bit of anxiety. In fact, I'd say it's quite expected. But you are a strong woman, Lady Lily. I know I don't know you well enough yet but I can see at least that quite clearly. You will make a great wife to the Crown Prince, and a great Princess to our people.'

Lily hoped she was right.

On the evening before the handfasting, a large feast was held in the great hall of the palace.

King Charlus, James, Lily, Prince William, the Duchess, the Marquess of Killian, the Marchioness of Killian, Lady Cara Vance-Evans and Lady Emmeline Vance-Evans sat at the head table, placed on a dais at the very front of the room. Sirius, Remus, and Frank and Alice Longbottom were some of the honoured guests chosen to sit with the royal family for this particular occasion, as part of the wedding party.

Several long tables, enlarged and elongated with magic to host the families and closest friends of the bride and groom, were laid out with a decorative gold and cream table cloth. Crystal goblets, china plates and sterling silverware were placed in their proper places in front of each seat. Wreaths of ivy, thistle and heather were hung up against every pillar, the blue and purple a sharp contrast to the regal bouquets of white lilies placed on every table.

Food of every imaginable fantasy was laid out on the table – roast potatoes, geese, quail, turkeys and lamb, cheese, butter and soft bread, oysters steamed in almond milk, spice mulled wine, Firewhisky, butterbeer, honeymead, puddings and sweetmeats.

The floors were laid out in majestic red carpets to welcome the stunning newly engaged couple. The curtains were a shimmery red and gold. The high ceilings were enchanted to look like a beautiful star-studded sky. Sirius could be heard some distance away from James and Lily, bragging to the bridesmaids that 'his' constellation was clearly shining the brightest in the magical sky.

The hall was loud with the sound of merry-making – cheers and laughter and people clinking their gold goblets together in toast of the happy couple about to enter into a year-long handfasting.

Petunia Dursley pursed her lips distastefully, masking her envy and seething anger behind disgust and dismissal.

When _she_ had gotten married, her entire family – including relatives she'd seen so scarcely in her life that she hadn't bothered remembering their names – had vocally expressed their disappointment that her choice in a husband had been a perfectly normal muggle man. Her only redeeming quality to them after being discovered as a squib, it seemed, was her ability to marry a wizard and produce children with a higher chance of inheriting magic.

She had held steadfast, standing up against her parents, against the Marquess, against all of these… _Freaks_ she'd had the displeasure of calling family, and she'd married Vernon despite having to give up the title of nobility.

Petunia had scoffed when her father had reminded her of this sacrifice. What was the point of nobility when no one in the natural world would even be aware of such a thing? To them, her father was nobody. She had no desire to follow in his – or, Lord forbid, Lily's – footsteps and becoming a loser.

She and Vernon had married. Petunia had renounced her title – it had been a wasteful title anyway, for a squib with little to no rights in the wizarding world, regardless of who her parents were. She had never been more relieved. On her wedding night, after she had officially become a Dursley, she had felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

She would no longer be the oddity, the strange little freak no one would knew what to do with. Now _she_ was the one who was normal and accepted. _They_ were the ones who didn't belong in her new world. Vernon had been greedy for daddy's money, but she would have none of it even if they offered. Freak money. Who needed it?

And now, Petunia told herself, there was no need to be envious at all. Lily was always destined to marry wizarding nobility. She had outdone her own bad luck and chosen to accept the proposal of wizarding royalty. James would one day be King - and that would mean that he would surely have to take on more than one wife. King Charlus' choice to only bed one wife was unusual. Then again, the war with Grindelwald hadn't affected Albion quite the same way the war with Voldemort seemed to be affecting it. James would surely have no choice.

Yes, there was no need for envy. In fact, she should _pity_ her sister. All these fools clapping and celebrating their marriage and it would be nothing but a sham. Vernon was stable and faithful and he would give Petunia a good life. Lily was doomed to live a miserable life with a man who couldn't just wed one wife.

Petunia had grown up with a father who had an active incubus gene and more money than he knew what to do with. His incubus needs and tendencies, together with his wealth and noble titles, meant that it was a given that Arwyn would marry more than one wife. He hadn't been as awful as some of their ancestors – she shuddered thinking of Julian Evans from the 16th century, who had wedded over a hundred wives and fathered over three hundred children, half of them now dead and the other half married into other noble families – but he'd still taken on two other women asides from their mother Aoife.

He'd married Julia Longbottom, drawn to her youth and beauty – and the benefits marrying her would bring House Evans – and Cara Vance, an American witch with almost as much wealth as the Evans (all of whom had become Arwyn's after the wedding since Cara had no parents or siblings to speak of). This wasn't, of course, discounting his various mistresses, all of whom went through a constantly revolving door at the west wing of her father's Welsh estate, Gwynhyrfar.

Her mother had never been perturbed by this – the multiple marriages weren't uncommon for wealthy noblemen and the mistresses were a necessity for incubi – but Petunia had always pitied Aoife. Secretly, of course. Aoife had always seemed so poised and graceful, and her father's indiscretions had never been described as infidelity – not even by the press – but she couldn't help feeling so terribly bad for her mother, who would never know the love of a faithful man.

She couldn't understand why, during the rare times she'd voice her incredulity at Aoife's disregard for the many women in Arwyn's life, Aoife had looked at her pityingly instead, chiding her gently on the love of a good, loyal man. 'A man doesn't need to be faithful in the way you think, Petunia,' Aoife would say. 'He needs to be faithful in his heart, in his love, not with his body. Your father has always been faithful to me. He's also been faithful to his other wives, and his mistresses. Not everything is in black and white, my dear.'

She never understood it.

Then again, she was normal. Aoife wasn't.

A loud crackle and pop startled her out of her thoughts. Her head snapped around towards the direction the noise had come from. It was from the King's table up front.

A surge of bitterness crept up on her before she had the chance to quell it – she, of course, wasn't allowed to sit at the wedding table, being the squib daughter who'd married a muggle man and renounced her title as the daughter of the Marquess. Emmeline, the child Arwyn had had with his third wife Cara, was allowed to sit up there with her mother and Petunia's parents, but Petunia and her husband were shunned, forced to sit next to the other freaks at one of these long tables reserved for 'guests'.

A shaggy haired man, regal even in his rakish behaviour, was grinning widely as he threw an arm around James. Petunia recognised him as Sirius Black, a constant visitor to Camelot in the year she had been forced to live there with Vernon for protection in a war they had no part in. Two others were seated on Sirius' other side – she knew them to be Remus and Peter, though she couldn't be bothered to remember their last names. All four of them were laughing merrily, Lily giggling daintily next to James. A cloud of confetti surrounding the nearly wedded pair told her that someone – probably Sirius, judging from his expression – had pulled open a party cracker.

Petunia's eyes rested upon the happy couple.

Lily was wearing a flowing white dress – she had been told that the wedding dress itself was going to be blue, symbolising purity. She rolled her eyes. Lily couldn't be normal and wear a white gown like every other bride in the world. Well, in Petunia's world anyway. Blue wedding dresses were still the norm in the wizarding world, especially amongst the nobles in Albion. God forbid Albion lets go of even a smidgen of old world tradition.

Lily's stunning red hair gleamed an almost fiery glow, no doubt from all the candles, lamps and torches lighting up the hall. Her eyes were an emerald green Petunia could see even from afar. Her smile was absolutely radiant as she sat next James. He was wearing the official regal robes of the Crown Prince. She gathered his robes for the handfasting would be a lot more showy than what he had on tonight, but he still looked handsome and majestic. His grin was as impish as his friend's, but when he turned to look at Lily, his eyes and his smile softened.

Petunia watched as James leaned in close to Lily, resting his forehead against hers and gazing into her eyes lovingly. He whispered something to her, making her smile and nod, and kissed her softly on the lips.

She sniffed, eyeing James' messy mop of hair. The least he could've done was run a comb through it.

While Petunia was doing her best to turn her envy and anger into disgust and fear, Lily was having the time of her life.

Lily's stomach was fluttering with a million butterflies, making it impossible to eat a single thing from the delicious feast. James and Sirius were doing a great job distracting her from her nerves by joking around, but each time James looked at her, held her hand discretely under the table or gave her one of his heart-melting smiles, she was back to being a nervous wreck. It felt as though her nerves were alive with static.

The Great Hall of the palace had been decorated beautifully. The food made mouth-wateringly. The entertainment – in the form of acrobats, tricksters, dancers, singers and circus performers of all traits – had been fun to watch. But none of these things could distract her from the coming day.

When it was finally time for the feast to break up so that the bride and groom could get the rest they needed for the coming ceremony the next day, James held out his arm to Lily.

'Let me escort you to your chambers, my lady,' he offered.

She stood, curtsied and accepted his arm. 'Thank you, my Prince,' she teased back gently.

James bid goodnight to his friends, with a whispered promise to meet up with them for one last stag night before he became a married man. Sirius' emphasis on the word "stag" made any of her worries regarding provocative women being involved in this last adventure vanish. It seemed as though Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were going on a little romp in the woods afterwards.

They took the scenic route back to Lily's chamber, a room she had called her own for a year now, despite her months at Hogwarts as a seventh year student. Lily's handmaiden Helena and two of James' guards followed after them a few steps behind.

'Lily,' James said suddenly, as they were crossing the arched corridor towards her room, the night breeze ruffling their hair and clothes gently. 'May I ask you something?'

She nodded, 'Of course.'

'You seem…Preoccupied tonight,' he said hesitatingly. 'I hope it isn't because you have any sort of doubts for tomorrow.'

Lily stopped walking altogether, turning to face James. His eyes were sadder than his voice had been, and his lips pulled into a tight, uncomfortable frown. He was so clearly worried, so anxious, that the day he had been dreaming of would never come.

Lily reached out and took his hands in hers, squeezing them comfortingly. 'Oh, no, James,' she murmured, barely noticing that her maid and the guards had stopped walking as well, stopping a few feet away from them to give them some privacy. 'Never think that…I could never doubt my destiny to be your wife.'

The tightness around his eyes and his mouth eased up and a bright smile broke out upon his lips. He took a discrete look back at the three people behind them before whispering quietly, 'If it weren't for the fact that we are not alone, I'd give you a kiss to show how happy I am to hear you say that.'

Lily blushed slightly.

It wasn't proper, of course, for a lady to act in such a manner, especially when she wasn't yet handfasted, and especially when her beloved was a Prince. To show affection, even after their wedding, would have to be discrete and subtle when around the public.

James had kissed her plenty of times while they were at Hogwarts, but they were careful never to do it in front of their peers. James hadn't minded showing her blatant affection in front of his friends – the self-named Marauders – but she had. They had only kissed in empty hallways and dark alcoves at the school, or in secluded spots in Hogsmeade.

He was good to show his affection in other ways – little meaningful gifts he'd give her for no reason, walking her to class back and forth, teasing her gently with love in his eyes and smiles…Once, when Hogsmeade had been under attack by Death Eaters and they had both been unlucky enough to be there, he had even jumped in front of a curse sent by Rowle at her.

She knew that part of the reason they couldn't be so openly intimate with one another was because of tradition and culture – it simply wasn't done by the nobles of Albion, let alone the royal family.

Another reason was because James hadn't been so careful in his adolescence. Before he had courted her, she knew that he'd had several dalliances with other girls – other women, even. He had been a rogue, along with Sirius. James had gotten to know many of the girls from school, even a few of the ladies from lesser known noble families who didn't have so much responsibilities riding on their shoulders.

It was different, of course, for a man rather than a woman. It was unjust and sexist but it was the way it was. A man could always claim that he'd never been with another woman before whilst a woman would have proof that she had.

James hadn't been so discrete. Everyone at school had known his reputation. He wasn't quite as bad as Sirius, who could have had several women in his bed all at once if rumours were to be believed, but he was still quite promiscuous. It was overlooked and even expected, since he was of royal blood, that he would have people, women, falling at his feet everywhere he went.

When James had started courting Lily, her parents had been ecstatic – but they had also warned her to be cautious. They didn't want any rumours to fly about regarding the chastity of their courtship. If they weren't compatible and the courtship ended, they didn't want Lily's prospects to lessen due to nasty gossip. If they were compatible and a handfasting was arranged, they didn't wish for the reason to be distorted.

'James!' she chided. 'Do try not to scandalise us all.'

He grinned at her roguishly before adopting a more serious expression. 'If it isn't doubt…' he trailed off worriedly.

Lily shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed for the way she was feeling. 'I'm simply nervous, that's all,' she admitted. 'I have never been a wife, let alone a Princess. I don't want to let anyone down – not my parents, not the people of Albion, not the King…'

She trailed off, looking up into his beautiful hazel eyes. 'Most of all, not you,' she whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek.

His eyes fluttered at her touch and his free hand came up to grasp hers. 'Lily, my love,' he leaned his forehead against hers. 'You could never let me down. I have never been a husband before, either. I don't know how married life will be, or how to navigate it. But I do know that with you by my side, all the struggles and obstacles we'll face will be worth it.'

A large smile broke upon her lips, unbidden. 'You're a sweet talker,' she chided playfully.

'It's part of my charm,' he agreed with a soft smile to match hers.

When the urge to kiss her again grew too much, James pulled away. He brushed his lips lightly on her forehead and threw a discrete look over his shoulder at Lily's maid and his guards. They were still standing a few feet away, of course, waiting for the two of them.

James took a small step back from Lily, just to make their stance less intimate than before. 'I suppose it's time for us to head back to our chambers,' he exhaled.

Lily nodded and took his arm once more, 'Yes, I suppose it is.'

The remainder of the walk back to Lily's room was quiet. James' guards kept a distance to give James and Lily some privacy to say goodnight while Lily's maid Helena went ahead into the room to prepare a bath, put out a nightgown and turn down the bed for Lily.

Lily turned her back to her door and looked up shyly at James. 'Only a few short hours and we will be husband and wife,' she murmured.

James gazed at her so lovingly that she wondered if he'd always loved her like that, even when he was too immature to really grasp the meaning of that love.

'I can't wait,' he admitted truthfully. He took her right hand and brought it up to his lips, pressing a reverent kiss on the back of her hand. 'I will see you tomorrow, my love.'

She beamed at him, blushing. 'I'll be the one in blue,' she teased.

James stood outside her door for a few long moments after she had slipped inside her room. His heart was beating erratically at the thought that, from tomorrow night onwards, he would spend the rest of his life going to bed with her and waking up in the morning with her, their lives intertwined in the best possible way.

He left his guards standing watch outside his locked chamber door.

Without even a glance in the direction of his bed, James made his way across the large room, opened the blue frosted, painted windows and swung his body out. He climbed the trellis ladder outside his window all the way down to the private garden below. He followed the cobbled path towards the cluster of trees, growing thicker and thicker with each step he took until he was deep within the woods surrounding the palace.

James walked the familiar path towards the bubbling stream not too far away from the palace, but far enough away that no humans – no guards, or knights or servants or foolish lovers looking for some privacy – would wander by.

James had had a cottage built on the property a few years back, for Remus' use. Remus had claimed it unnecessary, and had been quite embarrassed by James spending his money on him. But Remus had only one parent left in the world by the time he left Hogwarts, a father who did his best to help him once every month. When his mother Hope had died in Remus' fourth year, he no longer had her assistance during the summers and though his father Lyall tried his best, he wasn't as prepared for the monthly transformations as he was with his late wife by his side. After his mother's death, Remus had chosen not to return home during the summers so he wouldn't burden his father with his transformations any longer. The full moons during the school year were taken care of by the Marauders but he would be all alone during the full moons in the summer.

James had wanted him to be with friends, so the cottage had been built, in full consideration of Remus' needs – a basement made out of iron for his painful transformations, a door only one of the other Marauders could open that led to the woods, a comfortable living space for humans upstairs for Remus to use as he's recovering, warm blankets and a wardrobe filled with clothes he could change into the next morning, a kitchen stocked with food and a medicine cabinet stocked with bandages, salves and potions to ease his pain.

James had even assigned a house elf to take care of Remus' every need, and rented the cottage to his dear friend for a very low price. Though Remus had been ashamed at what he'd considered a hand-out, James had insisted persistently until Remus had agreed.

James' father had been quite proud of him for wanting to help a fellow man, especially one who needed all the understanding and acceptance the world could offer.

By the summer after fifth year, the Marauders had used the cottage as their own personal getaway, trying their best to turn the evening before the full moon was to rise as a morbid sort of party with rich food and Firewhisky.

It wasn't a full moon tonight – the next full moon was set to be two weeks away; another reason why Lily and James had thought it was the perfect date to get married. They wanted Remus to be able to celebrate this joyous occasion with the rest of them – but James could hear the familiar sounds of his friends' laughter the closer he stepped to the cottage.

The cottage was filled with warmth, though he couldn't tell if it was from the crackling fireplace making the whole place glow orange or from his friends' presence. At the sound of his entrance, Sirius turned around, stumbling slightly. James rolled his eyes. His best man was already three sheets to the wind, no doubt.

'Ah, the groom has arrived!' Sirius grinned wolfishly. 'Now the party can really begin!' he swayed forward, one hand gripping the neck of a bottle of Firewhisky while his other arm slung around James' shoulders. He tugged James forward, deeper into the room. 'Come on, James! Let's celebrate your last night as a free man.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another filler chapter. However, the next chapter will be James and Lily's wedding. Then we move on to the honeymoon and then straight to the war raging against Voldemort.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Lorelai.

**Author's Note:**

> This was really more of a filler chapter, as you can see, just setting the scene for James and Lily's few years together before the tragedy at Godric's Hollow. Harry won't be making an appearance for a few more chapters, and even then he'd be a newborn baby. He'll be a constant surprise from the start – even before that, really – but he'll still be a baby. 'Harry Potter and the First Downfall' won't have any 'real' Harry scenes' since he'll be a baby through most of it, if you're looking for teen-Harry-angst. The second story in the series, 'Harry Potter and the Years of Peace', will have 'real Harry scenes' since it's longer and depicts his childhood in the wizarding world.
> 
> Even so, I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter and will enjoy the rest. I won't drag out the story unpleasantly. Please do tell me what you think.
> 
> Also, 'With all my heart' is from BBC Merlin. I've always loved that line.
> 
> Love,
> 
> Lorelai.


End file.
